Storm-apron for vehicles



(N0 Mode 1'.)

P. J. GIBBONS & D. B. SHELLY.

STORM APRON FOR VEHICLES.

N0. 411,592. Patented Sept. 24, 1889.

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UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE.

PETER J. GIBBONS AND DAVID B. SHELLY, OF PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

STORM-APRON FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 411,592, dated September 24, 1889.

Application filed June 28, 1889. Serial No. 315,862. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PETER J. GIBBONS and DAVID B. SHELLnof Pittston, in the county or Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Storm-Aprons, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in stormaprons, and has for its object to provide an apron requiring less material in the process of manufacture than has hitherto been employed, involving no waste of material in cutting, simple in construction, and conveniently and expeditiously applied to a dash.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apron adjust-able to any dash, and which when applied will not hold the water at any point.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apron which when applied will not mark or mar the dash, and when not in use may be folded up to occupy a minimum I amount of space.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body of a carriage having lnyimprovement applied, and Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the apron.

In carrying out the invention the apron 10 is made from any suitable material, preferably a water-proof material, such as rubber, oil-cloth, or other water-prooffabric. The lower end of the apron is provided with the flaps 12 and 13, formed from the body of the apron by the cuts 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The edges of these flaps may be felled, hemmed, or otherwise protected, if de- The two flaps 12 and 13 are connected sired.

by a spring 14, preferably a spiral or coil spring, the said spring being usually attached to the flaps through the medium of eyes 15 or equivalent devices secured to the latter, as illustrated in Fig. 2. y

A suitable distance above the lower end of the apron carrying the flaps an aperture 16 is made, through which the lines are passed, which aperture is protected by a cover-flap 17, secured to the outer face of the apron, and at convenient points upon the upper edge of the apron two or more strips 18 are fastened, each provided with a button-hole or eyelet in the outer end, the said strips being adapted for attachment to the body of the vehicle to which the apron is applied when the apron is placed in position to pro tect the driver.

To apply the apron, the dash is made to extend. upward between the connected flaps and the inner face of the lower end of the apron, as shown in Fig. 1. This is readily and expeditiously accomplished by simply slipping the apron at the lower end over the top of the dash.

It is evident that by reason of the springconnection 14 the apron may be adapted to dashes of diiferent lengths, and that as the yielding portion only of the apron contacts with the dash the latter will not be marred or marked by the application of the former. The apron is carried upward and inward over the dash, as shown in Fig. 1, to a connection with the carriage or vehicle body,

whereby the upper surface presents an inclined plane free from all pockets or ridges, thereby creating a water-shed from which the water will rapidly pass off, and under no conditions will remain to soak through the material from which the apron is constructed. The sides hang perpendicularly downward, and the portion A between the dotted lines a b, Fig. 2, when the apron is applied, occupy a position close to the dash, extending over a portion of the front surface.

We desire it to be distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to any material in the construction of the spring 14, as 13 formed from the material forming the 10 the same may consist of rubber, of metal, or apron, and the spring 14, connecting the said of webbing, as may be found most desirable. flaps, as specified.

Having thus described our invention, we

PETER J. GIBBONS. 5 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenk DAVID B. SIIELLY.

As an improved article of manufacture, a \Vitnesses: storm-apron consisting of the body portion LEWIS P. I-IARTER, 10, provided at one end with the flaps 12 and J. G. GIESER. 

